Holiday Chess Courses for 6 – 13 year olds
These courses cater for all standards, from beginners through to advanced players.
Coaches:
- Emma-Jane Billington-Phillips, the queen of checkmates, who can make even pawns feel like kings!
- CM Mark Josse, the guy who keeps lessons light and fun!
- Mark Hogarth, a respected figure in the chess community.
Further Details:
- Each session runs for three hours per day from 10am to 1pm.
- There may be a second session from 2pm to 5pm if there is high demand.
- Each course runs for three consecutive days during the school holidays.
- Costing £30 pp per session or £80 pp for all three sessions.
- An online tournament will be run during the course with cash prizes for 1st and 2nd with the possibility of 3rd and even further runners up too. These will be paid by bank transfer after the end of the last day (numbers permitting).
- Pupils will be taught by Emma-Jane, but if:
- Numbers are high, participants will be split into groups;
- Beginners will be with Emma-Jane
- Stronger players will either be with MJ in a Masterclass or MH in an advanced class.
- If we put someone into the wrong group, they can easily swap to the correct group for their abilities.
- Each group will have a separate tournament.
- Each course will have a maximum of twelve participants per group per day.
All courses will take place over zoom.us and during tournament matches players must have their cameras and microphones on so they can be seen and heard. Anybody caught cheating will immediately be disqualified from the tournament and all their games lost.
Holiday Course Dates:
If you would like to book a place on a holiday chess course, then check which dates from those below and if you would like to sign your son(s) and/ or daughter(s) up then email stating which course to:
We will then reply requesting your child(ren)’s details with information on how to make payment.
Once payment is received, we will email you how to join the call. Please book your place in advance.
2025:
Christmas – 29, 30, 31 December.
2026:
- Easter – 7, 8, 9 April.
- May Half Term – 26, 27, 28 May.
- Summer
- 28, 29, 30 July.
- August (TBA).
- October Half Term – 27, 28, 29 October.
- Christmas – 21, 22, 23 December.

